Method and System for Configuring a Computer for Real-Time Communication

1. A method for ensuring that a client computer on a computer network is properly configured for real-time communication, the method comprising: receiving, from the client computer, a request to be notified when network conditions require a change in configuration settings of the client computer, wherein the configuration settings of the client computer allow the client computer to engage in real-time communication over the computer network, the configuration settings including an identification of a real-time communication server through which the client computer is to engage in real-time communication and an identification of a communication protocol for communicating with the real-time communication server; monitoring conditions on the computer network to detect network conditions of network devices other than the client computer that require a possible change in the configuration settings of the client computer; and when a network condition that requires a change in the configuration settings of the client computer is detected, generating new configuration settings for transmission to the client computer without the need for the client computer to initiate the transmission; and transmitting the new configuration settings to the client computer so that the client computer can update its configuration settings with the new configuration settings to engage in real-time communication over the computer network with the detected network conditions and so that the new configuration settings are automatically transmitted to the client computer without the need for the client computer to initiate the transmission.

2. A computer storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step comprises: receiving a subscribe message formatted according to a session initiation protocol; wherein the subscribe message identifies the user that is operating the client computer and wherein the message includes a request for that user's profile and wherein the profile indicates how the computer should be conducting real-time communication over the network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the network includes monitoring a database comprising configuration settings for allowing computers on the computer network to conduct real-time communication, wherein the database is distinct from the client computer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration settings include the network address of the server computer that the client computer needs to contact in order to set up a real-time communication session.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step comprises: inserting the new configuration settings into a message formatted according to a session initiation protocol; and transmitting the message to the client computer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the inserting step comprises inserting into the message a block of mark-up language text that includes the new configuration setting.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client computer is currently configured for real-time communication according to a set of old configuration settings, and wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting to the client computer changes that are to be made to the old configuration settings in order to derive the new configuration settings.

9. A system for facilitating real-time communication in a computer network, the system comprising: a client computer executing one or more programs for performing steps comprising engaging in real-time communication on the computer network; at least one computer storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database comprising configuration settings for allowing computers on the computer network to conduct real-time communication, wherein the database is distinct from the client computer, the configuration settings including an identification of a real-time communication server through which the client computer is to engage in real-time communication and an identification of a communication protocol for communicating with the real-time communication server; a server computer communicatively linked to the client computer, the computer storage medium being accessible by the server computer, the server computer executing one or more programs for performing steps comprising monitoring conditions on the computer network to detect network conditions of network devices other than the client computer that require a possible change in the configuration settings of the client computer; when a network condition that requires a change in the configuration settings of the client computer is detected, generating new configuration settings for transmission to the client computer without the need for the client computer to initiate the transmission; and in response to the detecting step, transmitting the new configuration setting to the client computer over the computer network, so that the client computer can update its configuration settings with the new configuration settings to engage in real-time communication over the computer network with the detected network conditions and so that the new configuration settings are automatically transmitted to the client computer without the need for the client computer to initiate the transmission.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the database is part of a directory service having information as to the layout of the network, and wherein the configuration settings are based at least in part of the layout of the network.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs executing on the client computer perform further steps comprising transmitting a request for the latest version of the configuration settings to the server computer.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the configuration settings include the network address of a server that the one or more programs executing on the client should use to engage in real-time communication on the network.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs executing on the server computer perform further steps comprising: generating a message formatted according to a session initiation protocol: and including the new configuration setting within the message, and wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the message to the client computer.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs executing on the client computer perform further steps comprising: generating a message formatted according to a session initiation protocol; inserting a request to obtain the new configuration setting into the message; and transmitting the message to the server computer.

15. A system for configuring a computer for real-time communication on a computer network, the system comprising a means for generating, for transmission from a client computer to a server computer, a request that the client computer be updated whenever network conditions require a change in configuration settings of the client computer, wherein the configuration settings of the client computer allow the client computer to engage in real-time communication over the computer network; a means for monitoring conditions on the network to detect network conditions of network devices other than the client computer that require a possible change in the configuration settings of the client computer; a means for generating new configuration settings for transmission to the client computer without the need for the client computer to initiate the transmission when a network condition that requires a change in the configuration settings of the client computer is detected, the changed configuration settings providing information on how to engage in real-time communication with a real-time communication server as a result of the detected change in conditions of the network; and a means for generating for transmission from the server computer to the client computer, the new configuration settings as part of a protocol normally used by both the server computer and the client computer to structure real-time communication between the client computer and computers with which the client computer communicates so that the client computer can update its configuration settings with the new configuration settings to engage in real-time communication over the computer network with the detected network conditions and so that the new configuration settings are automatically transmitted to the client computer without the need for the client computer to initiate the transmission.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the new configuration settings include a configuration document that contains a list of users and an indication of the extent to which each of the users and groups of users is permitted to monitor the presence of the user of the client computer.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the new configuration settings include a configuration document that contains a list of other users and groups of users and an indication of the extent to which each of the users and groups of users is permitted contact, via real time communication, the user of the client computer.

18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising: a server computer executing one or more programs performing steps comprising: communicating with the client computer according to a session initiation protocol; and transmitting to the client computer, the configuration document as part of a message formatted according to the session initiation protocol.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising: a server computer executing one or more programs for performing steps comprising: receiving a first message from the client computer, the message including the identity of a user of the client computer; retrieving information as to the extent to which individuals or groups of individuals are permitted to monitor the presence of the user on the computer network and to contact the user via real-time communication; transmitting the information to the client computer in the form of mark-up language text as part of a second message formatted according to a session initiation protocol; wherein the one or more program executed by the client computer perform further steps comprising: transmitting the first message to the server computer in the form of a session initiation protocol message.